Taxis of Vietnam
Taxis are part of a busy vehicle-for-hire system in Vietnam, alongside motorbike taxis and rickshaws. The history starts in 1883, when Japan’s rickshaw (xe-kéo) was introduced for European colonizers in French Indochina. At first, a few French firms controlled manufacturing and distribution, and a system of taxes and limits kept things tight.
In the 1910s, reforms followed the spread of public cycle rickshaws (xích lô), and Vietnamese residents began using hired vehicles more regularly for daily city life. By the 1960s, American influence and more motorbikes increased demand for two-person rides, giving rise to the Xe om motorcycle taxis. In the late 1970s, auto rickshaws like the xe lam, xe loi, and xe ba gác became popular, but these vehicles and their drivers faced strict regulation and were largely banned by 2008.
The 1990s brought new local car manufacturing through foreign joint ventures, lowering imports and prices. With better roads in the 2000s, motorbikes were restricted from expressways and xích lô rickshaws were barred from many city streets, making metered, air-conditioned taxis a viable option for a growing middle class.
Today, taxis sit alongside buses, private cars, and ride-hailing services as common transport choices. Major taxi firms include Mailinh, Hanoi, and Vinasun. Vietnam’s first car-hailing app is FastGo, but Grab dominates many markets after Uber left the region in 2018. In Hanoi in 2018, there were about 26,350 taxis, accounting for roughly 14% of rides; buses carried 8.5% and private cars 8%.
App-based motorcycle taxis exist, but they haven’t stabilized driver incomes. Authorities have fined taxi companies that don’t adjust fares when fuel prices fall. In 2019, Vietnam was noted among the world’s cheapest taxi fare destinations. Legal disputes have arisen between taxi firms like Vinasun and ride-sharing operators such as Grabcar over how to regulate these services.
In 2020, a policy required cars offering paid rides to use a yellow license plate to show they are commissioned vehicles. Taxis have also found a place in Vietnamese culture, appearing in films such as Cyclo (1995), Three Seasons (1999), Adrift (2009), and Taxi, What’s Your Name (2016), where drivers and riders reflect the country’s changing economy.
Overall, Vietnam’s taxi system continues to evolve with new technology and ongoing debates over regulation, pricing, and the role of ride-hailing in urban transport.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 18:34 (CET).